nchslibraryinfo: Summer Reading 2018

It is time to finalize our summer reading selections and we would love your input! Each ear we compile a list of 50-75 titles of newly published books we recommend for summer reading.

A great deal of thought goes into our list. We consult educators and students in and beyond the high school. We confer with youth services specialists at the New Canaan and Westport Public Libraries. We refer to professional literature, including School Library Journal and Voices of Youth Advocates. We attended workshops on YA Literature at regional conferences. We compile a daunting list of recommended summer books. We carefully eliminate titles until the list was reduced to a manageable size. In the final version, we pay close attention to:

Quality literature, including but not limited to award winning literature.
NCHS curriculum – alignment with the curriculum at the high school.
NCPS goal # 4 - To promote an environment that fosters respect, ethical behavior, and responsible citizenship.
Student interests.
Literary genres – all are addressed here.
Gender representation
Currency - most of our selections were published within the last five years.

INTEREST AND GRADE LEVELS

High school students’ interests and ability levels vary widely. Rather than prescribe a particular book to a particular grade level, we have indicated the audience (Young Adult [YA] or adult) to which books are marketed. While it is entirely appropriate to recommend books for specific grade levels in the elementary and middle schools, it becomes counterproductive at the high school, where, unfortunately, students’ interest in (or time for) reading for pleasure tends to wane. High School students should be encouraged to read books they enjoy. Some seniors might enjoy YA literature while some freshmen might prefer adult literature. Either way, they will all end up reading adult books in their adult life. Our goal is to let them have fun reading now. The more youngsters read, the more their reading skills improve, whether or not they are reading challenging material.

AWARDS

ALA TOP 10 BOOKS FOR YOUNG ADULTS: An American Library Association committee selects these winning titles.
ALEX AWARD: Each year, ten adult books that will appeal to teen readers are selected to receive the Alex Award.
PRINTZ AWARD: The Michael L. Printz award winners and honor books exemplify literary excellence in young adult literature.
PULITZER PRIZE: Honors books which address the largest themes in life, the raw passion and tragedy of the human condition.
TAG PICKS: NCHS has a Teen Advisory Group (TAG) of students who help the media specialists select materials and develop student-friendly policies. “TAG Picks” were recommended by these students.

While there is a book for every student on our final list, not every book is suited for every student. Students must decide whether their selections align with their personal and family values and interests, and adjust accordingly. We encourage members of our learning community to nominate titles for our 2018 list. The form follows.

We continue to document how we divvy up our time. Here is the latest update:

Here are some photos of library learning: